Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

Discussions on all aspects of the Spanish Civil War including the Condor Legion, the Germans fighting for Franco in the Spanish Civil War.
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Marcus
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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#31

Post by Marcus » 21 Feb 2015, 14:26

Part 2.
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/Marcus

Pedro Ruíz
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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#32

Post by Pedro Ruíz » 21 Feb 2015, 18:27

Marcus Wendel,much thanks for to put here this articles about the tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War......your work is amazing..!

Pedro


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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#33

Post by Marcus » 21 Feb 2015, 20:25

I'm reposting the article by forum member Pedro Ruíz here for easier reference:
Pedro Ruíz wrote:TANK´S WAR IN THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR 1936-39:

In July 1936 at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War,there were two regiments of tanks in the Spanish Army,"Regiment of tanks nº 1" based in Madrid and "Regiment of tanks nº 2" based in Zaragoza;these regiments had a theorical organitation of one battalion with three companies,and these companies had three sections of five tanks either;furthermore these sections ought to have guns and machine-guns,albeit really either regiment only had five tanks "Renault FT-17" and afterwards the outbreak of the war Saturday 18,1936 either regiment stood one in either side.Also in the Spanish Army there were "Protect trucks" and Schneither tanks;the "Protect trucks" were in the Central Park of Artillery in Madrid,and the "School shooting of Infantry" in Madrid were the Schneither tanks (here,there were five tanks Schneither);the Schneither tanks,the origin French,took part in the storming to the "Cuartel de la Montaña" in Madrid,here the garrison of the "Cuartel de la Montaña" revolted against the republican goverment and the republican force finished with them and his commander in chief,the General Fanjul,afterwards he was executed by shooting.These tanks also took part in the attack against the fortress "Alcázar de Toledo".The "Alcázar de Toledo" was the infantry academy of the Spanish Army,in this academy studied the General Franco,when he was cadet.

The Spanish Army had tanks produced in Spain,the Trubia tanks;Trubia ia a village of Oviedo and here there were factories of tanks named "Trubia".The Trubia tank is seemed to the Renault FT-17.There were five Trubia tanks,three of them were in the "Regimiento de Infantería Milán",and the others two were in the factory of Trubia.The whole tanks in the Spanish Army in July 1936 were of 20 tanks;twelve stood in the Republican side,and eight stood in the nacionalist side.Furthermore in the Republican side built great quantity of the armoured cars;these armoured cars were really commercial lorries,these armoured cars were lorries chassis over in which had been put press steel soldered in small workshops;these armoured cars were very weight and their move were difficult in mountainous terrain;therse F.V.A. were only efficient over road and also in the towns.All this material was destroyed in the first battles of the war,soon this material was replaced by weapons german,italian for nacionalist side,and weapons soviet and french for republican side.France sent some old Renault FT-17 of the Great War 1914-18 to support to the Spanish Republican Goverment,but the main send did it the Soviet Union.The Soviet Union sent to the republican goverment great quantity of tanks and armoured tanks,the whole of tanks and armoured tanks sent to the replublican side by the Soviet Union WAS 900;the Soviet tanks were: T-26B,BT-5 ;and the armoured cars were: BA-10.Much of these weapons fell in hands pf the General Franco´s Army during the War.

In the other hand the General Franco´s Army received aproximately 300 tanks;all this tanks were ligth tanks and they were the Italian light tanks Fiat-Ansaldo L3/35 known as "tin of sardine" owed to light armoured but very speed and very manouvre and its weapon consisted in two machine-guns of 8mm.,L3/35 had two men as crew.The other type of light tank of Nacionalist Army was the German panzer Pz. kpfw I and I-b;it was known as "negrillo" owed to the colour dark blue that this tank was painted.

In August 1936 arrived to Spain the first Italian light tanks for the General Franco´s Army were five tanks.With this tanks formed a section and she took part in the conquist of San Sebastián.Afterwards Sept 29,1936 a ship unloaded in the Vigo harbour others 10 light Italian tanks L3/35.Also in August arrived to Spain the first panzers Panzer I and I-b;in whole Germany sent to General Franco´s Army 150 light tanks.

In October 1936 in the town of Cáceres the General Franco´s Army organized the first company of tanks with 15 Italian light tanks L3/35,and October 21,1936 this companyt took part in the operations in Navalcarnero.Two days later this company of tanks forming part of the General Monasterio´s Column occupied the following villages: Esquivias,Seseña and Borox.The first battle of tanks in the Spanish Civil War occurried in Seseña;the nacionalist tanks fought against Soviet tanks T-26B;the outcome of this battle´s tanks was a Republican Army victory;the T-26B was better than nacionalist tanks.The "First Company of tanks" advanced over: Cubas,Griñón,Torrejoncillo and Torrejón de Velasco and it took part in the capture of the Villaverde Alto y Villaverde Bajo.In October 1936 in the town of Cácers in the quarter of "·Regiment Infantry Argel" organized a "Battalion of tanks" with german light tank Panzer I-A;furthermore waas created the "Base of tanks" in two castles near of the road Sevilla-Cáceres to 15 kms. distance of Cáceres.The center of training and learning of the tanks of the General Franco´s Army was established in two castles; castle of Herguijuelas de Arriba and the castle of Herguijuelas de Abajo.These two castles belonged to the Middle Age,and here to be born the Spanish Army Tank in 1936.October 27,1936 the Major Pujales Carrasco led two compaqnies with threee sections with five tanks either,and this party began tha advance over Madrid.November 3 with the column Asensio,the tanks occupied Móstoles and they captured one Soviet medium tank T-26B.The sharing of the tanks in the advance over Maqdrid was very important,and the nacionalist tanks took part in the capture of Pozuelo de Alarcón and Cabañas,and they got to fix the enemy in the position round Madrid of: Campamento y Carabanchel.The General Franco,s tanks took part in the conquist the ridge "Cerro de Perdigones" December 3,1936 and December 16 they captured Boadilla del Monte and the "Ciudad Universitaria".In the Ciudad Universitaria (Madrid) had place the hardest fightings in the battle round to Madrid.Meanwhile the "Battalion of Tanks" was completed with 3th Company equipped with Panzer IB and with "Depot Unit" for training the personal and to replace the loosing in men and weapons.The "Battalion of Tanks" of Nacionalist Army took part in the main engagements in the Madrid front and it lent support to the others unitsw leaving clear that this unit had high profesional degree and excellent efficience.In the engagement of the "La Marañosa" the nacionalist tanks made to withdraw to the republican tanks,here the republican lost two tanks,one burning and other broke.In the fighting nearby San Martín de Valdeiglesisas the Nacionalist tanks captured four Soviet tanks T-26B loosing two tanks own.The Battalion Tanks shared with efficacy in the battle Jarama and in March it was traslated to the Guadalajara front (northeast Madrid),here the battalion shared in some engagements against republican troops.To the finish of March 1937 the Battalion Tanks was transferred to the North front in Spain,concretly to the town of Vitoria (Navarra) joining to the column of the Gen. Alonso Vega (General Camilo Alonso Vega studied with Franco in the Academy of Infantry of Toledo,Gen Alonso Vega was a friend of Franco,when the finish to the Civil War,Franco gave the command of the Guardia Civil to the Gen Alonso Vega.The Guardia Civil is olica force very famous in Spain,thet are a military corp and they have a hard discipline,the Guardia Civil is a very efficence in the fighting agains organized crime); the battalion of tanks in union to the Gen. Alonso Vega´S Column took Ochandiano and the Caserío de Barázar.The Battalion of Tanks during the months April,May and June shared in severals fightings in the North front of Spain.The Battalion Tanks was transferred,first to the town of Palencia for to reinforce the July 1th,and the 7th July came back to the Madrid front for to share in the battle of Brunete.

The August 11 the Battalion Tanks was reorganized in Cubas,and in this village was created as base of command and staff of the battalion.As outcome of the reorganitation the Battalion Tanks was composed of: four companies of Panzer I-B,one compaqny of Soviet tanks captured,one motorized company of anti-tank,one transport company and one workshop.The August 26 the Battalion Tanks was sent by railway from Cubas to Zaragoza for to fight in the battle of Belchite and in the other engagements in Aragón front.

Pedro-Manuel Ruíz "Orlando Lorenzini" (Spain)

TO BE CONTINUED
Pedro Ruíz wrote:PART II: "Tank´s war in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39"

The grteat part of the personal of the Battalion Tanks of Nacionalist Army was formed by Spanish legioners (the Spanish Foreign Legion is a military corp of the Spanish Army,she was founded in Sept. 20,1921 by the Lt.-Col. Millán Astray and the Maj. Francisco Franco later Generalísimo;since the first years of the s.XX Spain had a colonial war in Morocco and in July 1921 the Morocco troops led by Ab el Krim defeated in the Annual battle to the full garrison of the Spanish soldiers of the town of Melilla (North Africa);the Spanish troops were led by the Gen. Silvestre;all Spanish soldiers (more of 10.000 soldiers) including his commanderr in chief were killed;this battle has been the worse military disaster for Spain in hers recently History.The Legion known as "Tercio de Extranjeros" or "El Tercio" was the answer of the Spanish goverment to the disaster of Annual.The Spanish legioners were professional soldiers.And in 1920s the Legion helped to put the Spanish rule in the Prtectorade of Morocco).As the all personel of the Battalion Tanks was leggioner this unit of tank named "Flag Leggioner of Tanks" (Bandera Legionaria de Carros de Combate);in the Spanish Legion Bandera is a battalion.Although the November 11,1936 the Flag Leggioner of Tanks passed to belong to the Regiment Tank nª2.

The Mach 1th,1938 the Battalion Tanks was transformed in the Bandera de Carros de Combate de la Legión (Flag Tanks of the Legion) and hers headquateers and hers staff was in Dar Riffien (Spanish Protectorade of Morocco) and two indepent groups for to can fight in different fronts.Either group was formed by three sections and either section had five tanks;the Companies 1,2,4 and 5 had German tanks Panzer Ia and Panzer Ib,and in the Companies 3 and 6 had Soviet medium tanks captured T-26B;the 6th Company was formed when was created the Bandera Legionaria de Tanques.The Flag of the Legion Tanks shared in great number of fightings,and she took part in the battles of Alfambra,Ebro and Aragón;in these battles had a great number of fightings between tanks of the both sides and the Legion Flag Tanks suffered several casualties both in men as in weapons;in these battles the Flag Legion Tanks (F.L.T.) lost 54 tanks,fact that demostrate the great intensify of these battles.The October 1,1938 was formed The crowd of tanks and it had two battalions and these battalions were led by the Major Díez de la Lastra and Major García afterwards The crowd of tanks passed to depend of the Regiment of Tanks nº2.The battalios of tanks were organized in three mixture companies equipped with German and Soviet tanks;the 2th Battalion had only two companies.When finished the military campaign in Cataluña in the first months of 1939 the Regiment of Tnaks nº2 was transferred to the cneter front;she ccoperated with other units of the Nacinalist Army for to occupy villages and towns in the republican ground.The Spanish Civil War finished the day April 1,1939,in that day the Regiment Tanks nº2 was in the town of Albacete (Castilla-La Mancha);Albacete during the Civil War was a main base of the International Brigades (The International Brigades was a unit of volunteers of the Spanish Republican Army,they were foreigns,and they were led by André Marty known as "Carnicero de Albacete" ;Andre Marty was a marxist French leader of the Workers Movement;the International Brigades were organized by the Komirtern,and his commander in chief was Josif Stalin).The final days of the war were very intensive for the Regiment Tank nº2 as took part in to finish with last focus of struggle and therefore the Regiment Tnak was moving constantly and he was active.The war finished for the Regiment Tnak nº2 in the village of Hortaleza,April 15,1939.Few days after the Regiment Tank nº2 defiled in Madrid in the Defile of the Victory presided in the box for distinguished persons by General Francisco Franco known as Generalísimo or Caudillo,April 19,1939-

THE C.T.V. (Corpo di Truppe Volontaire):

The Nacionalist Army of the General Franco furthermore to have own tanks also it had the suport of the C.T.V. The regime fascist of Italy led by Benito Mussolini,Il Duce,snt to Spain for to help of the General Franco´s Army one army corp formed by four motorized divisions named C.T.V.,and the commander in chief of C.T.V. was Gen. Mario Roatta.The CTV had four motorized divions,one battalionof lights tanks Fiat-Ansaldo L3/35 composed by three companies of three sections of five tanks either,and one company of flamethrowers tanks,also there were armoured cars of type Lancia Ansaldo IZ Mitraglicie.All this motorized units formed the fast group (celere raggruppamento);this force at the beginning of the war,performed independently of the Nacionalist Army,and they took the town of Málaga with easy;CTV used the celere units with success.The General Franco led the Spanish Africa Army composed mainly by the "Regulares ",La Legión and Morocco troops loyal to Spain;when these troops acrossed the Gibraltar Strait in the air bridge with Germans transports three engines aircrafts JU-52 sent it by Germany,General Franco led his Army over Madrid,main objetive,but in the first and hard storming he failured;then Mussolini pressed to him for to use the CTV in the definitive storming over Madrid.Franco acepted.The bulk of teh ground forces of CTV launched the ofensive over Madrid (March 1937) from northeast,they used the tactical of the penetration in arrow with light tanks L3/35 and armoured acrs,possibility Lancia Ansaldo IZ Mitraglice;the Italians columns were very fast but they had few power of fire;really the Italian force consisted in a motorized columns thus thet occuppied some villages of the province of Guadalajara,concretly Trijueque and Brihuega,here the Republican troops of Gen Miaja,the commander in chief of central area,were deployed in a defensive positios.In the right flank of the Italian columns was protected by three Spanish brigades led by Gen Moscardó,but the advance of the Spanish troops was very slow and therefore the Italian troopsstayed alone furthermore owed to the bad time (rains) they had not the air support to the Nacionalist Air Force.The positions of the maxime range that the Italians got were the village of Trijueque and Brihuega.The Gen Roatta was a burocratic military and he had few experience over the command direct of troops of first line of fire,althougt he was a military and he knew to lead one army in the war.Furthermore the Gen Orgaz ought to attack Madrid from West for to divert Republican troops,but he didn´t attack.In definitive,the Italian troops stayed alone without any protection;first the Republican troops stopped them and after they launched a strong counter-attack with Soviet medium tanks;the Italian vanguard parties were destroyed,furthermore the republican aircrafts also attacked with airplaines of the ground- attack.In spite of devastate fire fell over Italian troops,they defended his positions although with great casualties;finally the Italians fled and the Littorio Div. led by Gen A. Bergonzoli known "electric chin",and Littoriostopped the Republican counter-attack and prevented a great disaster,for the Gen Franco´s Army.Franco was a very nacionalist and patriot and ha didn´t want that a foreign army gave the definitive bump over the republican army;this explains that the spanish force should to help to the I talian advance in the ground and air were slow or simply that they didn´t attack.In Madrid was deployed the bulk of the Republican Army,and the Republican Army was ddeployed in a very hard defensive positions as Ciudad Universitaria,etc.

After the battle of Guadalajara the C.T.V. acted with cooperation with the Nacionalist Army;great part of the Italian soldiers were Black Shirts and they belonged to the fascist militia,also the CTV had professional militaries.The first Italian troops had desembarked in Cádiz harbour in December 22,1936;the CTV was composed by four divisions of volunteers:Littorio,Penne Nere,Dio lo Vuole,Fiamme Nere,near of 40.000 troops and more 100 tanks and other fightings vehicles.In the battle of Guadalajara the CTV had four companies of the light tanks L3/35,either company had three sections with five tanks (one of them was a command tank);the whole of Italian tanks were 52 tanks,furthermore there was a company of armoured cars Lancia Ansaldo IZ and one company of motorcicle-machine guns;all thid force formed the Raggruppamento Carristi of the C.T.V.;this organitation maintained until 1938;in that year the tanks of the the CTV were organized the following manner:
1 two battalions of tanks with two companies of 13 tanks either.Either battalion was divided in two companies
2. a motorized battalion with a section of tanks driven by spanihs crews,a motorcicle machine gun company and armoured car company
3. a mixtured battalion with a flamethrower tanks company,a section motorized section of anti-tank and one anti-aircraft battery
4. one unit of training and workshop.

Pedro-Manuel Ruíz "Orlando Lorenzini" (Spain)

TO BE CONTINUED
Pedro Ruíz wrote:PART III: Tankn´s war in the Spanish Civil War 1936-39:

In Cataluña,the last campaign in the Civil War,the C.T.V. had nearby 100 light tanks Fiat-Ansaldo L3/35.

The key of the success of the Nacionalist tanks including the CTV´S tanks were in massing use of the tanks in supporting of the infantry;in the Nacionalist Army the tanks never were use isolated as this use had few effective.Aftrer the battle of Ebro River in the Nacionalist Army were created units formed with tanks and mototrized infantry for to get a maxim range over the enemy ground.The Italians in Málaga and afterwards in Guadalajara proved the concept of the fast war (Guerra celere),therefore in Italian factories built the ligth tanks Fiat-Ansaldo L3/35;this small tank was created for the need of the fast war.The Guadalajara battle demostrated that this tactical needed the supporting of the more power of fire.Really in Guadalajara de Italians didn´t fail,the quick advance of the Italian troops was good,the great problem came to them beacuse they hadn´t the supporting of the cooperation grounbd aircrafts and fighters;the fail of the air supporting; this was the capital mistake in Guadalajara battle,and therefore the Republican troops could counter-attack and to recapture the lost ground.

In Guadalajara battle the cause because the slow march of the Spanish column led by Gen Moscardó was the Spanish column was infantry and it had very few vehicles,while that the Italian column had light tanks L3/35 very speed,armoured cars Lancia I/Z and o lot of truks of transport troops,and the Italian column was very fast in his advance over Trijueque and Brihuega.Also with respect to the fail of air supporting of the Nacionalist columns,the cause was a bad weather (time),in Guadalajara in those days rained very strong and the Nacionalist airfields were full mud and the aircrafts couldn´t take off,the Nacionalist airfields were earth.In the other hand the Republican airfield of Albacete was well paved and the rains didn´t affect it,and therefore the Republicans aircrafts could take off and to attack to the Italian columns in Brihuega and Trijueque and by reason they had retreat by the roads;the ground was bogged by the intensive rains,and it made very difficult the withdraw.The Republican tanks T-26B had also problems in his advance owed to the bogged ground.

In that days from Russia arrived to Spain a group of ground-attack aircrafts Polikarpov R-5 "Rasantes",it was a slow biplane (max. speed 260 km/h aprox), but it was terrific because the Russians thecnical had put it four machine-guns (somebody say that were six M.G.) under the wings;in whole this group was constituted by 31 aircrafts and they were based in Albacete airfield;these "Rasantes" fired over the Italians troops in Brihuega and Trijueque provoking great number of casualties between Italian troops and their lethal effect were harder when Italian troops withdrew by the roads.These "Rasantes" were lied by Russians pilots.These unit was experimental and afterwards of the Guadalajara battle backed to Russia.

THE TANKS IN THE REPUBLICAN ARMY 1936-39:
In the Republican Army the main center of study,teaching and training of the tanks was in the village of Archena;Archena is in a province of Murcia near of the Segura River (southeast Spain),The academy of tanks in Archena was led by the Lt.-Col. José Sánchez Paredes who had been second chief of the "Regiment of Tanks nº1".In the school of tanks in Archena had great quantity of the didactic material,specially books;in this school had classrooms with motors,weapons,shooting,drive;it had Russians instructors.The Spanish soldiers of the tanks recruited between bus and lorries drivers of Madrid and Barcelona.The exercise of shooting of the tanks made in the village of Priego and in the road of Villanueva del Segura;also there the tanks troops made exercisses of driven.The staff of the school of tanks lived in the Hotel of the Resort in Archena and they also occupied the classrooms of the childs school.

In September 1936 arrived to Cartagena harbour a merchant ship with 15 Soviet medium tanks T-26B;in October arrived to Cartagena two merchant cargo Soviet ships "Stari-Bolchevik" and "Konsomol" and the desembarked 15 Soviet armoured cars BA-10 and 50 tanks (probably T-26B).In October 1936 arrived to Barcelona harbour others two Soviet merchant cargo ships: "Kurak" and newly "Konsomol";the Kurak unloaded 12 armoured cars BA-10 and others weapons and the Konsomol unloaded eight T-26B;a long to the war the whole tanks desembarked in Spanish republican harbours were 900 tank;most of them T-26B although also there were one hundred Soviet medium tank BT-5,the father of the famous T-34,and armoured cars BA-10 and some Renault FT-17 came to Poland.The great part of this material was destroyed during the war,notwithstanding the Soviet tanks that were not destroyed in the war,they were incorporated to the Nacionalist Army totalizing some 600 tanks when the finish of the war.In October 1936,the first battalion of tanks was organized by General Paulov;this battalion had three companies and either company had three sections;in either company had a command tank;in either section had three tanks;and great part of the crew were Russians although also there were Spanish.The commander in chief of this battalion was the Major Paul Arman,he was a Russian;this Republican battalion of tanks fought first nearby the village of Seseña (province of Toledo),here this battalion defeated to the Nacionlist tanks of the Gen Monasterio´s column;the Republican tanks were better than the Nacionalist tanks,but they were employed bad tactically due they hadn´t the supporting of the infantry,therefore the Nacionalist could occupy the village of Seseña.Few time afterwards was created a second battalion of tanks provided with tanks T-26B and both battalions had a active sharing in the Madrid battle in defence missions.This two battalions formed the "First Brigade of Tanks" led by Gen. Paulov,this brigade had in Dec.31,1936 130 tanks;afterwards in the Bilbao harbour were desembarked 120 tanks.This brigade was formed by four battalions of medium tanks T-26B and one company of armoured cars BA-10.she shared in the battles of Jarama and Guadalajara of defensive form but owed to defensive thactical,the brigade didn´t know to get advantage over the enemy.The number of tanks was augmented in others 312 moreduring the first months 1937 thus new brigades were created,one of them was a brigade of armoured cdars BA-10 divided in four battalions more one company of tanks T-26B.Meanwhile in the front North of Spain was constituted with the weapons received there one "Regiment Tanks North" led by Antonio Sanjuan Cañete;in July 1937 the Republican Army had twelve battalions of tanks and four battalios of armoured cars mainly BA-10.In October 1937 was constituted the the Division of Tanks led Col. Sánchez Perales,and this division was formed by: 2 Brigades Tanks,1 Regiment heavy tanks,1 Brigade of Infantry,1 Company anti-tanks gun.

The tanks in the Republican Army took part in the main battles of the Spanish Civil War as: Jarama,Guadalajara,Brunete,Ebro River,Alfambra and Madrid;in these battles were used the quick tanks BT-5,these tanks formed a "Regiment of Heavy Tanks" and the Republican Army had 100 tanks BT-5.The only success that obtained the Republican tanks were in the battles of Brunete and Belchite but tjheir bad thactical use prevented to get good results;the Republican tanks used isolated withouth the supporting of the infantry as occurried in the battle of Cerro del Pingarrón.In the Nacionalist Army the tanks were used in narrow contact with the infantry notwuithstanding in the Republican Army the tanks were used as artillery,as defensive weapons and to attack from the rearguard,but the republicans never used the infantry for to help in the advance of the tanks,therefore the republicans tanks could not break the enemy lines and to get the withdraw of the enemy.


CAMOUFLAGE AND DISTINCTIVE MARKS OF THE TANKS IN THE CIVIL WAR:
The Nacionalist tanks were painted at frist with the colours own of the German and Italian Armies;thus the Fiat-Ansaldo L3/35 and Lancia I/Z were painted in grey-green and the German light tank Panzer I and Ib was painted in Panzer grey,here the Panzers I were known as "negrillos" due to the dark colour;afterwards alls Nacionalist tanks were painted in sand or green,over a base coluor tgreen stains irregulars of sand and black,(the stains were great bands).To the captured tanks in both sides of the tank was painted the Spanish flag (red and yellow) but this system of identificationb was a few effective and some tanks were destroyed by the own aircrafts,therefore in 1937 the Nacionalist tanks were painted with the Spanish lag in the back turret and in forward turret and in the ceiling of the turret was the cross of Saint Andrew (black cross over depth white).For to can to distinguish the distinctive marks of the companies or battalions used rhombs or circles,and they were painted in the left part of the tank front.The German Gen. von Thoma designed the distinctive mark of the panzer troops in the Spanish Civil War: on skull and under it,two shin-bones crossed.

When the Nacionalist Army was created the Flag Leggioner (Bandera Legionaria) in the leggioners tanks were painted the shield of thew Spanish Legion to the right of the mark of the company;in tha ceiling of the turret was the cross of Saint Andrew.

In the Republican Army the tanks were painted with olive dark green,equal as in the tanks of Soviet Army,afterwards over olive dark green was painted great stain irregulars of dark sand or grey.In the front part of the tank had Roman numbers for to identify the number of the brigade; also there were pictures,names of politics organitations of the Left.The uniform of the Republican crew tank consisted in a leather jacket and trousers of brown colour and they worn small black boats,and a leather helmet named "chichonera".


THE SINGULAR STORY OF THE VERDEJA TANK:
In the year 1938 the Maj Félix Verdeja Bardales of the Nacionalist Army designed a light tank named "Verdeja Tank",the first protoipe began to built in the base of Cariñena (Cariñena is a village of the province of Zaragoza,it has 4.500 inhabits and Cariñena is very famous by hers wines known as "Cariñena wine") and afterwards the Verdeja Tank was completed in the base of Zaragoza;Verdeja Tank was proved satisfactorally and the goverment of Gen. Franco thought to bulit it in the factories of Bilbao,notwithstanding the final of the Civil War stopped the construction of the Verdeja Tank as tha goverment of Gen. Franco had others priorities based in the reconstruction of the areas devastated for the war and to help to the civil people.That moment adecuated for to build armament,Spain was destroyed by three years of the terrific civil war,Spain hadn´t industry worth mention,and the Spanish people were hungry;in Spain hadn´t sufficient meal and the much babies,small childs and old persons died by the hungry and illness.These are the terrible cost of the war.The plan consisted in to build 30 "Verdeja Tanks" in the factories of Bilbao and to give it to the "Flag Leggioner",but the final of the war in April 1939 finished with this project.

The Verdeja Tank was a light tank,it was small,it had a small turret put in back part,its main armament consisted in a one 45 mm. gun and three machine-guns of 7´92 mm.,max speed. 40 kms/h,range: 120 kms,weight: 5´8 Tns., armour: unknown ( but it ought to be weak).


This work has been made by:
Pedro-Manuel Ruíz "Orlando Lorenzini" (Spain)

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#34

Post by Marcus » 21 Feb 2015, 20:27

Pedro Ruíz wrote:Marcus Wendel,much thanks for to put here this articles about the tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War......your work is amazing..!

Pedro
I'm glad you found it interesting. They have made back issues available for free online to it should be no problem to repost a few scans of relevant articles here.

/Marcus

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#35

Post by Marcus » 21 Feb 2015, 21:15

"Soviet Armor in Spain: Aid mission to Republicans tested doctrine and equipment" by Antonio J Candil in Armor Magazine March-April 1999.

Part 1
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Armor_Magazine_1999_March-April__sida_34_av_64_.jpg
Armor_Magazine_1999_March-April__sida_35_av_64_.jpg
Armor_Magazine_1999_March-April__sida_36_av_64_.jpg

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#36

Post by Marcus » 21 Feb 2015, 21:15

Part 2
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Armor_Magazine_1999_March-April__sida_38_av_64_.jpg
Armor_Magazine_1999_March-April__sida_39_av_64_.jpg
Armor_Magazine_1999_March-April__sida_40_av_64_.jpg

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#37

Post by Ironmachine » 21 Feb 2015, 22:34

Again, both Pedro Ruíz's and Antonio J Candil's articles had some significant mistakes.

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#38

Post by Marcus » 11 Apr 2015, 13:10

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tigre
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Re: Panzers

#39

Post by tigre » 19 Aug 2016, 05:38

Hello to all :D; a little complement..............................

Panzer Gruppe Drohne in the SCW.

Source: http://www.ebay.de/itm/WK88-Spanien-193 ... rmvSB=true

Cheers. Raul M 8-).
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image022.jpg
Tanks Pz Kw I of the Drohne-Imker Group at Lonja del Pescado..................................... ....
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Re: Panzers

#40

Post by Ironmachine » 19 Aug 2016, 17:56

Tanks Pz Kw I of the Drohne-Imker Group at Lonja del Pescado
It should be noted that "Lonja del pescado" is not a village in Spain, just the place where fishermen sell their captures. There are "lonjas" in many coastal villages. As the tanks do not carry legionary symbols, this picture may have been taken during the campaigns in the north, maybe in Asturias...
Regards.

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#41

Post by Ironmachine » 19 Aug 2016, 18:52

Well, after some googling, the building certainly looks like the "lonja" at Ribadesella in Asturias, that was already in existence at the time of the SCW.

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#42

Post by tigre » 20 Aug 2016, 14:11

Thanks for shedding light on that Ironmachine :wink:. Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#43

Post by tigre » 09 Sep 2016, 21:33

Hello to all :D; a little complement..............................

Panzer Gruppe Drohne in the SCW.

Source: Spaanse burgeroorlog photo. eBay Auction

Cheers. Raul M 8-).
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image009.jpg
A disabled German tank Pz Kw I Ausf. A in a Spanish town............................................
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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#44

Post by tigre » 23 Oct 2016, 21:37

Hello to all :D; a little complement..............................

Panzer Gruppe Drohne in the SCW.

German light tanks type Pz Kw I in Bilbao during its fall??......................................... Without resistance, between 5 and 6 pm, on June 19, 1937, the national troops occupied Bilbao.

Source: http://www.ebay.at/itm/BUYMUC-LARGE-FOT ... 2cae897eff
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hk5n9-5keDM/U ... 9911_o.jpg

Cheers. Raul M 8-).

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A disabled German tank Pz Kw I Ausf. A in a Spanish town............................................
a Spanish friend told me it could be Plaza del Torico - Teruel. Christmas 37-38
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image010.png
image010.png (222.95 KiB) Viewed 9463 times

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Re: Tank warfare in the Spanish Civil War

#45

Post by tigre » 17 Oct 2018, 00:44

Hello to all :D; more..............................

Panzer Gruppe Drohne in the SCW.

Source: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/ae/9b/ba ... 4523d9.jpg

Cheers. Raul M 8-).
Attachments
image079.jpg
A German tank Pz Kw I Ausf. A stopped on an inland route (breakdown ??) and the troops, who are they??..............................
image079.jpg (47.59 KiB) Viewed 8446 times

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